GUEST COLUMN: We 'grays' need to rise up

Contrary to what politicians and media want you to believe, we are not a country divided. More importantly, we are not a country comprised of socialist/anarchist leftist and fascist/racist rightists.

William J. Moeller | Special to the Daily News

Contrary to what politicians and media want you to believe, we are not a country divided. More importantly, we are not a country comprised of socialist/anarchist leftist and fascist/racist rightists.

The political parties and media try with all their might, and benefit greatly from keeping us divided. Most Americans live and work in harmony with neighbors and friends of all colors, creeds and nationalities, especially in crisis. This was demonstrated recently in Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Las Vegas, with displays of love and caring to all, without regard to background. This is what our country is all about!

I find it impossible to believe that the extreme left and right are the majority, but the two major parties and media pander to their minority base. I have traveled all over the U.S. and the world and made friends everywhere we traveled. We keep in touch with friends of all colors, creeds, and nationalities to this day and none adhere to the extremist left or right-wing agenda.

My observation, formed over many years, is that 10 percent to 15 percent of the population falls in to the extreme left and right wings of politics. This leaves about 70 percent of the population in that wonderful gray area where negotiations take place. This “My way or the highway” attitude within Congress is killing this country. We “grays” are the majority, not the left or right-wing extremists. Life is a series of compromises, and politics is no different.

It’s time we “grays” take back control of our country. Negotiation and compromise are not dirty words; they are a way of moving forward, in lieu of stagnation. There are two sides to every story and most of the time the true answer is in the middle. History proves that as a country, we prosper most with a president from one party and Congress from the other because they knew they had to compromise, and it worked!

The Democrat and Republican parties today pander to their extremist base – corporations, unions and lobbyists, not “We the people.” The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision sealed our fate. Due to this shrewdly named decision, plus lobbyists, extended wars, and an apathetic public, we are quickly becoming an oligarchy just like Russia after the fall of the USSR.

It’s time we take back the country that our fathers and grandfathers fought for in world wars I and II. Stop being an enabler to the downfall of the greatest country to ever exist; stop voting the party line, demand accountability, restrict lobbyists, repeal Citizens United, and support term limits for Congress.

One other observation: We could eliminate our budget deficit over time with a united effort by federal, state and local officials to aggressively attack, prosecute and eliminate fraud, waste and abuse at all levels. That is, if politicians can tell the difference between “fraud, waste and abuse” and “the other guy’s idea.”

“America first” needs to mean “We the people,” not corporations and billionaires, or unions and free-rides, to buy votes. But sadly, it’s probably too late!

This guest column was written by William J. Moeller, who is a resident of Shalimar.